METRO Orange Line Update Metro Transit, BRT/Small Starts Projects Christina Morrison & Natalie Westberg Transportation Committee July 10, 2017
Orange Line BRT Project What is the Orange Line project? 17-mile Highway BRT project $150 million capital project opening 2020/2021 Active project within FTA Small Starts grant program I-35W south is Minnesota s most heavily-traveled transportation corridor 210,000 cars, trucks, and buses per day on 35W 14,000 existing bus riders each weekday on 26 routes Over 26,000 rides by 2040 w/ BRT Who are Orange Line riders? Access to 30,000 suburban jobs Better serves all-day, evening, weekend markets Better serves non-downtown trips, especially to the 494 corridor 2
Funding & Budget Total capital cost: $150.7 million All non-federal project funds secured $12.1 M for Orange Line awarded by state 2017 special session bonding bill Received federal Letter of No Prejudice allowing local funds to be encumbered with MnDOT CTIB dissolution Hennepin and Dakota will fulfill remaining CTIB capital commitment $3.8M paid by Dakota $23.4M paid by Hennepin 50% of Orange Line operating costs will be split 86% Hennepin /14% Dakota 3
Small Starts Overall Project Rating Warrants high corridor ridership = automatic medium for mobility improvements, congestion relief, and cost-effectiveness, simplified environmental benefits approach Economic Development plans & policies performance & impact affordable housing Land Use quantitative & qualitative review of corridor land use Medium (Automatic through warrants) 66.64% Medium-High Medium-High High 50% Medium 50% High 50% Local Financial Commitment simplified evaluation due to low project cost Medium-High 4
CIG Report - Small Starts Summary 5
Station Naming Process Regional Transitway Guidelines, Chapter 9.5 Station Naming Reflect local geography Easy for the general public to recognize Distinct from the names of other stations to the extent feasible Succinct and the use of two names for one station should be avoided Timeline Dec. 2016 Jun. 2017 Mar. 14, 2017 May 23, 2017 Jun. 13, 2017 Jul. 10, 2017 Jul./Aug. 2017 Input from Orange Line Working Group & Technical Advisory Committee Burnsville City Council meeting Dakota County Regional Railroad Authority meeting Approval of station name recommendations from TAC Station naming information item at Transportation Committee Station naming business item at Transportation Committee 6
Recommended Station Names Marquette Ave & 3rd St Marquette Ave & 5th St Marquette Ave & 7th St Marquette Ave & 11th St 2nd Ave & 3rd St 2nd Ave & 5th St 2nd Ave & 7th St 2nd Ave & 11th St I-35W & Lake St I-35W & 46th St I-35W & 66th St Knox Ave & 76th St* (Knox Ave & International Blvd) Knox Ave & American Blvd I-35W & 98th St* Burnsville Heart of the City I-35W & Burnsville Pkwy *Adjacent park & rides will be renamed to reflect Orange Line station name 7
Orange Line Construction Phasing Three Orange Line construction contracts anticipated: 12 th Street Ramp and Lake Street MnDOT construction award in 2017, with completion in 2019 and 2021, respectively Construction Contracts Lake Street Project (MnDOT) BRT Stations (Metro Transit) Knox Avenue Transitway (Metro Transit) Additional construction packages (below) anticipate Federal Small Starts Grant award in early-to-mid 2018 Knox Ave underpass contract includes construction associated with I-494 Construction award in mid 2018 with completion in 2020 I-494 work during 2019 construction season Orange Line station package includes station improvements, systems, pylons Construction award in late 2018 with completion in 2020 Phased work, not all sites will be under construction at once Fare collection and signage ready to place at all locations in mid-2020 Local CIP projects and redevelopments will help inform phasing 8
Project Look Ahead Begin construction Execute MnDOT partnership agreement Finalize 35W phasing schedules with MnDOT and selected contractor Continue to seek $74.1M FTA Small Starts funding Update cost estimates and submit project information for FTA Annual report Project plan updates Monitor FY19 appropriations process and prepare for Small Starts Grant Agreement Seek full corridor construction in 2018 Complete design of 11 stations and Knox Avenue Transitway Initiate appraisals for right-of-way (ROW) needs Seek Council approval to acquire project ROW Finalize third party agreements Continue public outreach and communication 9 Existing conditions, I-35W at Lake Street Existing conditions, Lake Street under I-35W bridge
Christina Morrison christina.morrison@metrotransit.org 612-349-7690 Natalie Westberg natalie.westberg@metrotransit.org 612-349-7451 www.metrotransit.org/orangeline American Boulevard Station, Bloomington 10